Last week kicked my booty. Between the grind of the project at work, evening work events, trying to get ahead on some blog work, other life nonsense…AND THEN on Thursday while traveling between work sites my car decided to have a bit of a break down and start yelling at me. Thankfully it happened as I was pulling into a gas station so I was able to turn off my car and allow myself to have the breakdown….

My current office is about an hour away from my house… so this posed quite the issue. Thankfully my husband came to the rescue and totally handled my car while I went in to the office (that was five seconds away from where I was now stranded BTW) and then waited around nearby until my workday was over and drove me home (because my car was so very NOT drive-able at that point). The next day he drove me an hour to work, let me take his car while he drove mine to the auto shop, and then took an uber home to work for the day. When I got off from work on Friday my car was fixed, at home, and my husband had gotten me flowers and wine (swoooooooon) and cooked me a healthy dinner.

I’d say this is out of the ordinary but it isn’t. Ladies, I am spoiled. My husband takes such good care of me all the time and I am SO thankful. So THIS is where the Vodka Pasta comes in…..

 

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I first saw the Vodka Pasta recipe on Pinterest under the guise of it being a “Man Pleasing Meal”. Being a girlfriend at the time that was very much trying to impress my man, I was sold (those days are long gone folks – we married, I’m free – jk, kinda). I tweaked a few things because I rarely take a recipe at face value, and the husband (then boyfriend) was hooked.

Ever since, anytime I ask my husband what he wants for dinner, it’s vodka pasta. I’ve canned the sauce (takes forever y’all) and sent it as Christmas presents, its been THE birthday dinner for a majority of my family members, and my father in law asks nearly everyday when I’m sending him some in the mail. ITS A THING. So after my hell of a week that my husband saved, I knew I had to make it up to him by making his favorite meal. He was pleased.

It’s Meatless Monday friendly, can easily be tweaked to be vegan, and I would happily grab a straw and drink the sauce alone because IT. IS. THAT. GOOD. Hubby had his with noodles but I opted for zoodles (zucchini noodles) to keep it as healthy as possible and it was still A DIME.

And yes, I could have either taken my pictures faster or photoshopped them to not have water in the Zoodle bowl but then it would be misleading that zoodles don’t get watery and THEY DO. And it’s totally normal and pretty much impossible to avoid it, and I didn’t want y’all thinking you did it wrong. That’s why when you are using zoodles, opt for thicker sauces, not watery ones. Got it? Cool.

 

XO,

JESS

 

VODKA PASTA

INGREDIENTS

• Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/2 cup of low sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2-1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes depending on your heat tolerance
• 1/2 cup of vodka
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 (26oz) Crushed/Diced Tomatoes
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• Whatever noodles your heart desires

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a pan/pot a medium heat
2. Add in onion and saute until translucent
3. Add in garlic and saute a few minutes being careful not to burn it
4. Add in red pepper flakes and chicken broth letting it simmer for a few minutes
5. Add in vodka and bring to a boil (always be careful when adding it as adding alcohol to high heat can catch fire – seriously don’t have the heat to high when adding and then after turn the heat up)
6. Reduce the heat and simmer allowing the liquid to reduce to about half of the original amount
7. Add in tomatoes and salt bring to a boil
8. Reduce heat and let the sauce simmer for at least 25 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally
9. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly
10. Using an emulsion blender,  puree the sauce in the pan until it is a smooth consistency. If you don’t have an emulsion blender, you can use a regular blender removing the center piece to allow the steam to escape – put a paper towel over it so there’s not a mess y’all)
11. Add in your cream and basil and stir until mixed on low heat
12. Add to whatever noodle makes your heart sing – or zoodles if your self-control is on fleek that day
13. Sprinkle with parm and be pleased YALL

 

SHOP MY KITCHEN